Collecting Adventures – The Doctor Who Edition

Someone once said, “England and America are two countries divided by a common language”. Or something like that, I’m paraphrasing. Based on my years of experience and visits to London, I’d say that’s a pretty accurate statement. We have so much in common, but besides the linguistic differences, there are lots of little ways that we’re just slightly out of synch. The light switches work the wrong way round; some candy bars are the same but called different things; we call it a bathroom, they call it a ‘toilet’, etc, etc. And then there are their magazines, and man, have they got us beat. They are to magazines what the Japanese are to toys, and I scoop loads of titles up every month and read each one cover to cover. They just make ‘em better, always going that extra inch, from supplements to specially produced CD compilations attached to the covers. This trend goes back as far as I can remember, when I used to track down issues of Smash Hits and they had key fobs (key chains) or badges (buttons, see what I mean?) taped to the cover. But they really go the whole hog with their mag swag when it comes to titles aimed at the youngsters. From Spidey to Batman: The Brave and the Bold to Star Wars: The Clone Wars, all of those properties get their own magazines, and they include super cool toy premiums with each issue. Fortunately, or unfortunately as it turns out, for me someone at the BBC decided to produce something in that vein for Doctor Who. And the goodies are great!

I’m pretty sure ‘Doctor Who Adventures’ launched right after the revamped, Russell T. Davies produced juggernaut took the world by storm. The magazine kind of serves as a children’s version of the over 30 year old Doctor Who Magazine (formerly ‘Monthly’), except it comes out every two weeks and is a pretty slim read. On average it’s about 30 pages or so, filled with story recaps, set visits, puzzles, jokes, games, cut-out-and-make-it items, and the occasional dip into the show’s history, showcasing previous Doctors and monsters. Christopher Eccelston’s tenure was so brief that there ended up being very few issues produced featuring his Doctor, but from issue #1 on, the premiums were stellar. Things like back to school kits, consisting of a large tin pencil case with an image of the Doctor and the show’s logo on the cover,  a TARDIS ruler, pens, pencils and the like. Once David Tennant showed up, the magazine really gathered steam and the free gifts got more elaborate, with things like games, a sonic screwdriver that squirts water, canvas wallets, sticker sheets and badges galore. It seemed that as the show got more popular, the magazine got more bold with it’s give a ways, which led to me picking it up more often.

Blu Ray Harvest: Horror Beyond Imagination

As the entire galaxy knows, this week finally sees the release of the Star Wars Saga on Blu Ray DVD. This initial announcement was met with excitement from the fan community, but soon led to some trepidation when we started to wonder just which versions of these oft tinkered with …

Obsessive Compulsion.

One of the best things about no longer being a serious collector of anything these days, is that I don’t often get hung up about being a completist. This is a double-edged sword, however, because the money saved on “collecting them all” can now be put towards those white whales of plastic that have haunted me for decades. You know what I speak of. Those pieces you’d missed out on as a youth, or read about as a teen, or have vague memories of seeing somewhere as an adult. They don’t necessarily add to whatever subjects you happen to collect, and some you might even be sheepish about admitting you lust after. And they all seem to be in the realm of ‘pricey’. They’re out there, they exist, and they’re just waiting for you to finally bring them home to fondle. For me, there is one particularly bizarre case in point: the legendary Doctor Who Tardis Tuner.  

Treasures Under the Tree.

   They tell me ‘tis the season of giving. I’ve never been able to prove this claim, but I can tell you, as someone who used to love the Christmas holiday, a much more honest phrase would be “’tis the season of getting awesome presents you already wanted or by some miracle are shocked someone knew to get you”. That’s a bit more wordy and selfish, so I can see why it doesn’t make it into the commercials. Now, that’s not to say I don’t like Christmas as an adult. It’s just that the thrill of it is gone. Especially since I found out a couple of years back that those letters I’d been sending to the North Pole were going unread. Seriously, I have to find this out NOW?  So I thought, what better time and what better place to jump in the Way-Back Machine and review the coolest pressies that ever made it into my household, than December on Action Figure Insider?  

Harshing My Marshmellow, Man

I have a confession to make. I don’t get excited about much in the toy world these days. Even though I think this is a fantastic age of innovation and risk taking, I keep seeing the same titles and the same molds over and over again. There’s been very little new product or properties in the past few years that I’ve looked forward to or felt the urge to snatch up. But with the release of the new TRON Legacy merchandise, I’m afraid that’s all about to change. My nostalgia for 1982 is peaking again, and so far, everything I’ve seen from the film hasn’t let me down. In fact, this entry is going to defend this newest toy world of TRON, because I just read something that kind of pissed me off.  

Unhappy Meals in Dangerous Times

I don’t know about you, but hard as I try and fight it, I find myself creeping into cliché more often than I care to admit. You know, those horrible old stand up jokes about turning into your own father when you hear certain words come out of your mouth? Or reacting to things differently as you get a little older, and thinking, “holy crap, I would have given my parents SUCH hell for that” as that icy chill runs down your spine? Yes, dear readers, it’s all happening to me, I’m only human. But if I step back a bit and am really honest with myself, I don’t think it’s me that’s changed or become more uptight. It’s the rest of the world.  

Decisions, decisions.

Depending on when you’re reading this, the motion picture The Last Airbender could prove to be the worst reviewed film of 2010. I haven’t seen it (and at the rate the horrible reviews are piling up, may never put it in my Netflix queue. Yes, life IS too short), but I have heard that it’s based on a very well made animated series, with quite a following. The fact that it’s getting devastatingly bad reviews from not just the fanboys on every nerd site imaginable, but mainstream media outlets as well, makes me beg the question once again with a major film making endeavor: how in the hell did this happen? I mean, there seems to be a mythology and story arc already in place as a shortcut, and yet it would appear this flick still comes up monumentally short across the board; acting, script, effects, pacing, etc, etc, have all been torn to bits. And it made me think of similar situations in the toy world, when the details are laid out in advance of the project and things take a particularly nasty turn for the worse.  

Missing a Trend.

A couple of weeks ago, I headed down to Las Vegas to attend our first Licensing Show, and to see if there was anything that might catch our eyes to add to the Bif Bang Pow! arsenal. One of the meetings we had was to discuss Edgar Rice Burroughs’ near 100 year old Lord of the Jungle, Tarzan, and the ‘ol ape man got me thinking. In these troubling economic times of down sizing and minimizing our lives, there’s a fitting trend in the toy world that’s long been missing, perfect for 2010: the mini play set. Fifteen years ago you couldn’t walk into a toy store without dozens of options to choose from. And many of the little worlds on big cardboard backing cards were made by the same company at one time, a company that stood loud and proud for a brief period, but made some gems that still impress to this day. Come with me now through the plastic scented mists of time and let’s revisit an old friend, Trendmasters.  

‘The Empire Strikes a Chord’

A long time ago, in a city far, far away…….I saw ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ for the first time, 30 years ago this weekend. And I haven’t been the same since. But probably not for the reasons you’d think. I was already committed to the ‘Star Wars’ saga by the time this film rolled around at the ripe old age of nine. I had eaten, slept and worn ‘Star Wars’ since the summer of 1977, and to say I was excited for ‘ESB’ is the understatement of my lifetime. But that’s also why the damage was done that fateful weekend.  

Long Agos and Worlds Apart

I’ll warn you all right now, before we get started. This is going to be one of those posts that make me sound like an old man, that’s gonna go down Memory Lanes and take lefts at Nostalgic Avenues. So if that sort of thing isn’t of interest, you might want to turn away now. (To be honest, I might even turn away myself, in preparation of my already stated senior sounding status). If you stick around you might be rewarded and reminded of times and places in your lives that are similar, and you never know what sort of memories might get jostled free by the end.  

Daniel Pickett: Five Years In

If you haven’t already noticed, this week marks the Wooden Anniversary of Action Figure Insider. (No, really, it’s wooden. Look it up. Luckily it’s not the third anniversary: leather). And to celebrate and contribute a bit more, I thought I’d do something different with my blog privileges, and interview co founder Daniel Pickett. I picked Pickett, ’cause he’s the guy that first got in touch with me all those years ago, asking if I’d like to be on a SDCC panel. And it’s been a beautiful friendship ever since. I tried asking the tough, probing questions that the discerning readers of AFI wanted asked. Let’s see if I succeeded. Either way, Happy Anniversary from me to Action Figure Insider! Take it away Daniel! :  

Articulating Some Thoughts

The great author and toy maker Willl.I.Am Shakespeare once wrote the immortal line, “To articulate, or not to articulate, that is the question”. He then goes on to ask whether it’s more noble to suffocate Green Arrow or get a good fortune after a Chinese meal, or some such thing, but the important part is about the articulation. Ever since that golden age, toy manufacturers and designers have struggled with the same nagging conundrum, and the inevitable fall out from making those difficult decisions. But, let me pose something to you  (see what I did there? ‘Pose’? Ha!) : are we all getting just a little too hung up on articulation these days?  

Things We Saved From the Fire

Recently, I caught a post on this very site for a toy so cool, it literally took my breath away for a moment. Super 7 announced they’re making a ‘Star Wars’ Stormtrooper Super Shogun figure, reminiscent of the great Shogun Warriors from the 70’s. Right down to it’s shooting fist action! The moment was bittersweet, however, when I immediately recalled my own M.I.A. Dragun Shogun Warrior, which mysteriously vanished from my childhood home some time in the past 25 years. (See earlier traumatic post from me). But it did get me thinking…..  

A Decade Down

I’ve remarked before in these entries that I believe we’re living in the Golden Age of Action Figures, and for me, there’s no better evidence than this past decade. Now, because we’re all geeks at heart, and passionate ones, we always quibble, and a great many of us moan, about the shortcomings of our favorite properties finally getting their due in figure form. Some of these grumbles are justified, especially when the item comes from a mega company with a team of full time scientists concocting these things in their labs. But in my mind, nine times out of ten, I’m willing to overlook the failings, to just stand back and bask in the glory of what’s come to fruition.  

Tribulations of the Trade

For anyone who is a regular visitor to AFI, I’m sure it’s no surprise to learn that the licensing and approval process for action figures is not an exact science. It’s usually fraught with delays, dozens of people who need to have everything run past them, misunderstandings, too many departments missing each other’s information (or lack thereof), and, eventually, changes asked for by the actual talent the figures are based on.  All things considered, we’ve been very fortunate at Bif Bang Pow! in all of our approval dealings, but for every license, every now and then there’s some craziness that stops us in our tracks. Allow me to elaborate.